Many Attend Public Hearing on East St. Louis Nightclubs

EAST ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – The proposal to shut down nightclubs earlier in East St. Louis drew hundreds to a public hearing last night.

East St. Louis Mayor Alvin Parks is opposed to early closures. He sees disaster in the proposal.

“There would be no major reason for people to come to East St. Louis anymore” said Mayor Parks.

Under the proposal, ten nightclubs who currently stay open until around 5 A.M. would have to close at 3 A.M. instead.

Mayor Parks thinks it would put them out of business and their workers on the streets.

He thinks what is being proposed as an Anti-crime measure would actually increase it.

Mayor Parks also sees the loss of tax revenue from those nightclubs, which he estimates some $400,000.

Mayor Parks says the proposal is aimed at nightclubs, it’s actually for all businesses to close at 3 A.M. He worries how that might effect shift workers at factories, drug stores or even towing companies.